Welcome to another Saturday night of music, memories, and conversations. Last week we talked about deep cuts, or other music we felt didn’t get the attention it deserved. With the eclipse coming on Monday, I wanted to do songs about eclipses or other astronomical phenomena. So, you know I can’t do this without some music from my boys. Love Is All We Have Left is not about astronomy. It does have lines about a telescope and stars — but it’s talking about humanity, we’re the stars:
U2 - Love Is All We Have Left
Now you’re at the other end of the telescope
Seven billion stars in her eyes
So many stars
So many ways of seeing
Hey this is no time not to be alive
Similarly, there's Earth Wind and Fire's Shining Star
I asked friends for suggestions, and wow there’s a lot.
From a co-worker: I enjoy Starset! the lead singer, Dustin Bates, has a doctorate in electrical engineering
Waiting On The Sky To Change ft. Breaking Benjamin
Coldplay made a short science fiction movie for their song with BTS, My Universe:
Snow Patrol filmed the video for Life on Earth at the ESA headquarters:
I remember their Instagram posts when they went, so gleeful. There’s also The Planets Bend Between Us, but that’s not really about astronomy, it’s another of Gary’s “I’m a terrible boyfriend, she’s leaving and I hope she has a fabulous life” songs.
of course, The Beatles —I'll Follow The Sun (Remastered 2009)
There’s so much David Bowie, it’s hard to pick just one. Starman, Space Oddity...
Lots of suggestions from Bob Segal:
Elton John
- Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me
The Animals
Colbie Caillat
Rocket Man — Elton John
Third Stone from the Sun — Jimmy Hendrix
Major Tom — Peter Schilling
Space Truckin — Deep Purple
Drops of Jupiter — Train
Mission to Mars — Styx
And of course there's Moonshadow by Cat Stevens. I'd forgotten this song, till someone on Bluesky mentioned it.
Gentle Reminder: Please continue to include the artist and the song title in your comment. This really helps our readers who use their phones or sight (site?) readers to enjoy our diary.
You know how this works — Put your quarter in the slot and your song in the comments. This is your Saturday night jukebox and the party starts NOW.